“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”

“The secret to the big is the small.”

The first quote is an old African proverb; the second is from our training resource Ordinary People, Extraordinary Results.  Understanding them can help create a significant shift in perspective for anyone who feels limited in their ability to have a real impact or to demonstrate true leadership.

Combine that shift in perspective with these three questions, and you have a powerful (yet simple) approach to creating change, one small step at a time. (more…)

“Once upon a time…”

What child doesn’t love and look forward to story-time?  Whether at the library, in the classroom, or curled up on the couch with a parent or elder sibling, story-time is a time for imagination and dreams.

And story-time is a time for learning.  The classic stories, from Grimm’s fairy tales to Dr. Seuss’s flights of fancy, teach important lessons to children even as they entrance and entertain.

As adults, we still love story-time – we just call it watching television, reading books, or going to the movies.  Even if the book we’re reading or program we’re watching falls into a nonfiction category, there are still stories being told; and even if it’s the most far-out fiction, there are still important lessons being learned and ideas being conveyed.

Of course marketing professionals are well aware of the power of a good story.  After all, what’s a product testimonial or case study but a story?  And in all areas of business, leaders who use storytelling to inspire action are leaders who know how to communicate effectively, motivating and engaging their employees to work towards organizational goals. (more…)

Have you ever gotten an “attaboy” or “attagirl” that just left you feeling flat?

The most common reason why appreciation misses the mark is simple: the person expressing acknowledgment failed to understand what’s meaningful to the person they’re acknowledging. (more…)